1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to surgical guidewire utilization in surgical procedures and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for manipulating a surgical guidewire.
2. Description of the Related Art
A surgical guidewire (referred to herein also as a guidewire) is typically a semi-rigid probe used as an initial access point for performing in endovascular surgical procedure. The guidewire is twisted, bent, and otherwise maneuvered through an access vessel in order to position the guidewire tip and a location a surgeon desires to treat.
Conventional guidewire manipulation methods often involve applying torque to the guidewire to aid its passage through tortuous and clogged vessels. Typically, spinning the guidewire in one's fingertips creates torque to assist in manipulating the guidewire through an obstructed and/or difficult passageway. This technique is also known as “helicoptering”, alluding to the spinning blades of a helicopter.
However, applying torque is difficult since surgical guidewires have an extremely small diameter and typically have a low friction surface to promote passage through a vessel. Additionally, the gloves of a surgeon or often coated with blood or saline solution, further increasing the slickness of a guidewire. In this respect, helicoptering and similar maneuvers can be time-consuming and inefficient. This inefficiency not only frustrates surgeons, but also increases procedure completion time and, therefore, increases procedure costs.
Furthermore, in instances where an obstruction is encountered within a vessel, a surgeon generally applies axial motion in an oscillatory manner to drive the guidewire through or past the obstruction. During surgery, an endovascular surgeon may encounter an occlusion that is chronic and/or calcified. Such occlusions have a hard shell with a consistency much like plaster. These forms of obstructions can be difficult and sometimes impossible to penetrate using manual manipulation of a guidewire. Consequently, a procedure may be abandoned when such difficult obstructions are encountered.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for manipulating a guidewire.